|
iDo: 10 Apps To Ease Your Wedding Planning |
|
Any bride or bride-to-be can tell you that planning a wedding is an overwhelming task. Fortunately for today’s brides, the ever-growing selection of iPhones, iPads, Androids and smartphones can quickly ease the task of researching, planning and organizing the biggest day of your life.
Here are a few apps worth checking out:
iWEDDING DELUXE
 $9.99
A complete planner that features to-do lists, budgeting help, a guest list creator, invitation tracker, seating planner and more. Also offersTwitter and Facebook integration.
|
Imagine planning your big day — rehearsal dinner,ceremony and reception — in five months. Now imagine planning it without once seeing the venue in person.
That was the story for Abby and Matt Englert ofBloomington, Ind., married last June on Folly Field Beach.
“I didn’t feel like planning a gigantic, elaborate wedding — that didn’t matter to me,” said Abby. “It was a little crazy, but it was almost a little bit better. I wasn’t into meeting with people and going over menus.”
|
|
 A lot can happen in two years, and a lot of things can change. Just ask Jessica Martin Finlen, whose May wedding didn’t exactly go off without a hitch.
“We dragged out the engagement way too long, enough to make anybody crazy,” Jessica said, laughing. “There were a lot of little glitches, to the point we were like, ‘Let’s just go to Vegas or Mexico or anywhere.’ ”
For starters, Jessica’s original venue backed out five months before the wedding. When she visited the site to discuss placement of the tables and DJ, the person in charge was nowhere to be found. Luckily, her father stepped in to save the day. “My dad worked at Sun City for like 10 years. And it just popped in his head, ‘What about Riverbend?’ ” she said. “It’s a beautiful long dock out to the water.”
|
|
Fall Bridal Trends: A to Z |
|
Article By Marianna Barbrey
Photography by 33 Park
Attendant Gifts
The best attendant gifts are functional but personal — and you can accomplish both with monogramming. For a winter wedding, monogrammed pashminas are functional keepsakes that look great in pictures. For a destination wedding at the beach, a monogrammed towel won’t be lost and will stay helpful hroughout the weekend and the rest of the season. Other ideas include monogrammed picture frames, jewelry boxes, tote bags (for the wedding weekend) and stationery.
|
|
Design and style tips offer a creative spin on an old wedding tradition |
 Something old, something new; Something borrowed, something blue;
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
An enduring Victorian tradition steeped in superstitious symbolism, the verse containing a series of old, new, borrowed and blue good luck tokens for the bride dates back centuries in England.
|
|
Eco-friendly weddings on the rise |
|
By Gail Westerfield
As more people strive to reduce their carbon footprint so, too, are couples planning their weddings. Green or at least “pale green” weddings have been the “in thing for the last few years,” according to Richard Markel, of the Association of Wedding Professionals.
He advises couple to talk to their vendors about their desire to be kind to the earth on their wedding day. For instance, ask the electrician how to reduce electricity by 10 percent; or ask the chef for locally grown and organic foods.
Invitations
|
|
The Business Side of Marital Bliss |
|
By Melinda Copp
Engaged? Congratulations! You have plenty to think about as you plan your wedding and new life with your partner. But in addition to choosing a dress and picking a honeymoon destination, getting married includes a few less romantic decisions. When you marry your sweetheart, you combine a lot more than love in a legal contract, including financial obligations, assets and property.
|
|
Bridal Registry Tips and Items You'll Really Use |
|
 (ARA)—While the fondue pot and ice cream maker seem like must-haves when you're adding items to your bridal registry, it's important to ask yourself, "Will I really use these items on a regular basis?" You may want to reconsider your selections. And, although making a wedding gift wish list can be daunting, the following tips can keep the happy couple celebrating wedded bliss for years to come.
Registry Basics
Before you and your sweetheart start scanning items for your registry, do your homework. Consider the size of your space and where you will store your new items. If you're living in an apartment or smaller condominium, you may want to rethink registering for the super-deluxe size barbecue grill. You'll be surprised how quickly your new gifts can fill up your space.
Next, think about your guest list. Make sure that you have a variety of items to choose from and at different price points—high and low—so guests can purchase items they feel reflect their own taste and that they can afford. Be sure to consider your out-of-town guests as well, by registering for items that are available both at nationwide locations and online, such as Target and Bed Bath & Beyond, to help ensure they can access your registries from anywhere.
|
|
Monthly’s 2009 Bridal Guide |
|
A Wedding Guide for Today’s Bride
|
New (and traditional) ideas for dresses, flowers, venues and more.
By Brooke Crichton
Beachside nuptials or an elegant garden wedding? Roses or lilies? So many choices! Ever since girlhood, the bride has dreamt of what her wedding day would be like, but the reality of planning a wedding can leave many feeling indecisive and frazzled. Here are some inspiring, hot new trends to help with wedding planning.
The Dress
Friends and family will anxiously be waiting to see the bride as she walks down the aisle, so finding the perfect wedding dress is possibly the biggest decision she will make. It reflects personal style, along with the theme and mood of the wedding ceremony and reception. With so many possibilities to choose from, check out these current wedding dress trends:
|
|
|
Expert Advice
